During the Monday Morning Rites held on 04 May 2026 at the Saint Louis University Fr. Paul Van Parijs Event Center, the University, through the Office of Global Relations, Alumni Affairs, and Scholarship Programs (OGRAASP), launched Internationalization Week with a recognition ceremony honoring the Louisian community’s commitment to globalization. A key milestone in Engineering education was also highlighted during the said launch.
Led by SLU President Rev. Fr. Gilbert B. Sales, CICM, PhD, alongside Vice President for Academic Affairs Feline P. Espique, PhD; Vice President for Administration, Atty. Shellah Yzanne P. Merced; and Vice President for Finance Roberto M. Arguelles, PhD, academic units were each honored with a plaque of appreciation in recognition of their internationalization efforts and unwavering commitment to globalization.
The following schools were recognized for advancing internationalization: the Basic Education School (BEdS), School of Accountancy, Management, Computing and Information Studies (SAMCIS), School of Advanced Studies (SAS), School of Engineering and Architecture (SEA), School of Law (SOL), School of Medicine (SOM), School of Nursing, Allied Health, and Biological Sciences (SONAHBS), and School of Teacher Education and Liberal Arts (STELA).
A highlight of the ceremony was the recognition of SLU SEA as a Philippine Technological Council (PTC) Tier 1 Engineering Institution, which is a distinction earned for offering engineering programs that meet international standards under the Washington Accord, and for demonstrating high institutional autonomy, robust quality assurance, and global competency. Having met all category thresholds under the three-criterion Tier Classification System (TCS), the classification is valid for six years from the date of ratification by the PTC. In accordance with Washington Accord guidelines, only engineering programs offered by a Tier 1 institution and accredited by PTC will be afforded international recognition under the Accord.
Furthermore, PTC-accredited engineering programs offered by SLU SEA will also be listed in the Register of Accredited Programs of the Federation of Engineering Institutions of Asia and the Pacific (FEIAP), further affirming their compliance with global standards in engineering education.
Aligned with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 4 (Quality Education), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), SLU continues to forge meaningful global connections and uphold internationally recognized standards of excellence, Internationalization Week affirms the University’s enduring mission of forming globally competent, values-driven Louisians rooted in Missio et Excellentia. (Photos by John Aaron Bagni, UIO Intern)
